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Climate change is predicted to increase the frequency of potentially hazardous heat conditions across the United States, putting the incarcerated population of 2 million at risk for heat-related health conditions. We evaluate the exposure to potentially hazardous heat for 4,078 continental US carceral facilities during 1982–2020. Results show that the number of hot days per year increased during 1982–2020 for 1,739 carceral facilities, primarily located in the southern United States. State-run carceral facilities in Texas and Florida accounted for 52% of total exposure, despite holding 12% of all incarcerated people. This highlights the urgency for enhanced infrastructure, health system interventions and treatment of incarcerated people, especially under climate change.

While pathogenic protists inhabiting the reproductive tract are well studied, the gastrointestinal (GI) tract contains a constitutive protist microbiota that is an integral part of the vertebrate microbiome. Currently, the effect of protozoan infections on the host immune system and their potential contribution to disruption of mucosal immune homeostasis are not well understood. Protists, along with bacteria and viruses, are permanent representatives of the human microbiota. The main attention of researchers is focused on studying their pathogenic role in gastrointestinal diseases. However, their role in symbiotic relationships with hosts is relatively little studied. It was previously shown that the closest human ortholog of mouse Trichomonas (Tritrichomonas spp.) is Trichomonas Dientamoeba fragilis, which can cause symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. It is currently unclear whether Dientamoeba fragilis and other protist species such as Enteromonas spp., Entamoeba dispar are commensals, pathobionts, or pathogens of the human intestinal tract. Thus, information about the mutualistic relationships between protists, the gastrointestinal microbiota, and the immune system of mice can be used to understand host-protozoan relationships in humans. The data obtained allow us to evaluate the potential contribution of commensal protozoa in the formation of protective mechanisms of the mucous membrane of animals and humans. We have previously shown that antibiotic therapy leads to an increase in the number of Tritrichomonas spp. along with a reduction in bacteria in the gut of mice with a mutation in the Muc2 gene. A mutation in this gene leads to impaired formation of the intestinal mucosa in mice. Mice with a mutation in the Muc2 gene can be used as model to study human inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). In this work, we conducted a comparative study of the immunological status of Muc2–/– mice harboring Tritrichomonas spp. after antibiotic therapy for 2 weeks followed by gavage of Lactobacillus johnsonii into mice and mice without introduction of probiotic microorganisms (self-recovery). Analysis of the main populations of lymphocytes in the blood, spleen and lymph nodes showed that the introduction of Lactobacillus johnsonii after antibiotic therapy leads to a significant increase in the population of T-lymphocytes in the blood and spleen, and an increase in the number of helper T cells in the lymph nodes of Muc2–/– mice compared to mice without the addition of probiotic microorganisms.

Abstract Background Low health literacy is costly and observed among justice-impacted adults (JIA), a group that often faces numerous barriers in accessing healthcare and a disproportionate burden of illness. Health literacy interventions for JIA are critically needed to improve healthcare access and related outcomes. Methods This manuscript describes the protocol for a longitudinal mixed-methods randomized clinical trial that assesses the effectiveness of a coach-guided health literacy intervention on JIA’s healthcare access. The intervention was previously piloted with justice impacted adults. We will recruit 300 JIA ages 18 + in San Diego, California. Participants will be randomized 1:1 to the Treatment Group (i.e., coach-guided intervention providing 12 sessions of individualized health coaching and service navigation over 6 months) or the Control Group (i.e., self-study of the health coaching program, and brief service navigation support). We will quantitatively assess JIA’s healthcare access defined as: use of healthcare, health insurance status, and regular source of care at 6-months as the primary outcomes. Participants will also be surveyed at 12-months. Statistical analyses will incorporate the intent-to-treat (ITT) principle and we will estimate mixed-effects logistic regression for the primary outcomes. We will also conduct qualitative interviews at 6 and 12-months with 40 purposively sampled participants, stratified by study arm, who reported healthcare access barriers at baseline. Interviews will explore participants’ satisfaction with the intervention, healthcare attitudes, self-efficacy for and barriers to healthcare access over time, perceived contribution of the intervention to health and well-being, and diffusion of intervention-related information within participants’ social networks. We will conduct deductive thematic analyses of qualitative data. Discussion Low health literacy among JIA is a foundational challenge requiring tailored intervention strategies. Findings from this trial may inform policies and the structure of service delivery models to build health literacy among JIA in institutional and community settings throughout the United States and elsewhere. Trial registration This study is registered with the United States’ ClinicalTrials.gov registry under protocol # 161,903.

This study aims to answer the following research question: How is participation in selected high impact practices (HIPs) that promote social capital associated with community college students' positive civic learning outcomes (CLOs) such as communication and listening, diversity, and consensus-building? This study analyzed responses to the 2019 Community College Survey of Student Engagement using Minitab to conduct chi-square analysis to test the hypothesis that HIPs that build social capital are related to greater frequency of CLOs. The most notable finding is that four of the HIPs - internships, in-class group projects, service-learning, and learning communities - were consistently positively associated with each of the CLOs in statistically significant and possibly practically meaningful ways.

Abstract Type III interferons (λ1, λ2, and λ3) are potent antiviral cytokines in the lung. However, their roles in nonviral lung injuries are less well understood. This study investigates the activation of type III interferon signaling in three distinct models of lung injuries caused by diverse stimuli: the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, bacterial endotoxin LPS, and the chemotherapeutic agent bleomycin. Our data show that, despite inducing a potent inflammatory response, Pseudomonas and LPS did not increase IFNλ secretion. In contrast, bleomycin instillation increased secretion of IFNλ in the airways at both early and late time points. Consistent with limited secretion, type III interferon signaling had a minimal role in the host response to both Pseudomonas and LPS, as measured by pathogen burden, inflammatory response, and lung injury. Conversely, a deficiency in type III interferon signaling led to increased inflammatory signaling and elevated acute lung injury in the bleomycin model on day 3. This elevated early injury resulted in impaired recovery in IFNLR1 knockout mice, as evidenced by their recovery from bleomycin‐induced weight loss. Taken together, these data suggest a context‐specific activation of type III interferon signaling, where it plays an anti‐inflammatory role in the lung.

The constant increase in contamination of agricultural products with mycotoxins makes it urgent to develop new methods for their sorption, isolation, and determination. Molecular imprinting is a promising method for recognizing and isolating target molecules based on specifi c sorption mechanism. The work considers the possibility of obtaining and practical use of mycotoxin–specifi c selective sorbents based on imprinted polyaniline structures using a structural analogue of the mycotoxin zearalenone – 4-hydroxycoumarin. The optimal carrier for the synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers has been selected. The specifi city of 4-hydroxycoumarin sorption from model solutions has been studied. The practical possibility of sorption and extraction of ZEA from an artifi cially contaminated wheat extract has been demonstrated.

Introduction. In the process of demolition and dismantling of emergency buildings, as well as during construction and reconstruction, more than 70 million tons of construction waste are generated annually in Russia. The circular economy is based on the principle of resource renewal, recycling of secondary raw materials, technological measures to return waste to the repeated economic turnover. Nowadays the problem of saving natural resources and reducing construction waste is especially urgent. About 80% of construction waste is heavy and light reinforced concrete, from which can be produced secondary crushed stone, increasing the use of which is one of the tasks in the transition of linear economy to a circular economy. Materials and methods. The study of the implementation of a set of organizational, economic and technological solutions aimed at the reuse of construction waste was carried out. The analysis was carried out on the example of using secondary aggregates obtained from concrete scrap. Results and discussions. In the course of the research the necessity of concrete scrap involvement into repeated economic turnover was proved, as its use in construction fully meets the requirements of the set tasks in the field of energy and resource saving and environmental safety. Conclusion. Recycled crushed stone is a valuable resource that contributes to the sustainable development of the economy as a whole and reduces the harmful impact of the construction industry on the environment.

Naturally transgenic plants are plants that have undergone Agrobacterium-mediated transformation under natural conditions without human involvement. Among Arachis hypogaea L., A. duranensis Krapov. & W.C. Greg, A. ipaensis Krapov. & W.C. Greg, A. monticola Krapov. & Rigoni, and A. stenosperma Krapov. & W.C. Greg are known to contain sequences derived from the T-DNA of “Agrobacterium”. In the present study, using molecular genetics and bioinformatic methods, we characterized natural transgenes in 18 new species from six sections of the genus Arachis. We found that small fragments of genes for enzymes of the agropine synthesis pathway were preserved only in some of the studied samples and were lost in the majority of the species during evolution. At the same time, genes, similar to cucumopine synthases (cus-like), remained intact in almost all of the investigated species. In cultivated peanuts, they are expressed in a tissue-specific manner. We demonstrated the intraspecific variability of the structure and expression of the cus-like gene in cultivated peanuts. The described diversity of gene sequences horizontally transferred from Agrobacterium to plants helps to shed light on the phylogeny of species of the genus Arachis and track possible hybridization events. Data on the ability of certain species to hybridize are useful for planning breeding schemes aimed at transferring valuable traits from wild species into cultivated peanuts.

In the United States, tropical cyclones cause destructive flooding that can lead to adverse health outcomes. Storm-driven flooding contaminates environmental, recreational, and drinking water sources, but few studies have examined effects on specific infections over time. We used 23 years of exposure and case data to assess the effects of tropical cyclones on 6 waterborne diseases in a conditional quasi-Poisson model. We separately defined storm exposure for windspeed, rainfall, and proximity to the storm track. Exposure to storm-related rainfall was associated with a 48% (95% CI 27%–69%) increase in Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli infections 1 week after storms and a 42% (95% CI 22%–62%) in increase Legionnaires’ disease 2 weeks after storms. Cryptosporidiosis cases increased 52% (95% CI 42%–62%) during storm weeks but declined over ensuing weeks. Cyclones are a risk to public health that will likely become more serious with climate change and aging water infrastructure systems.

Immediate-use steam sterilization (IUSS) shortens the time of sterilization but may increase the risk of surgical site infection (SSI). Among 23,919 procedures with 416 (1.7%) procedures resulting in SSI, IUSS was associated with a 1.52 (95% CI, 1.10–2.11) times higher risk of SSI. IUSS should be minimized.

Glioma is the most common primary brain tumor, characterized by a consistently high patient mortality rate and a dismal prognosis affecting both survival and quality of life. Substantial evidence underscores the vital role of the immune system in eradicating tumors effectively and preventing metastasis, underscoring the importance of cancer immunotherapy which could potentially address the challenges in glioma therapy. Although glioma immunotherapies have shown promise in preclinical and early-phase clinical trials, they face specific limitations and challenges that have hindered their success in further phase III trials. Resistance to therapy has been a major challenge across many experimental approaches, and as of now, no immunotherapies have been approved. In addition, there are several other limitations facing glioma immunotherapy in clinical trials, such as high intra- and inter-tumoral heterogeneity, an inherently immunosuppressive microenvironment, the unique tissue-specific interactions between the central nervous system and the peripheral immune system, the existence of the blood-brain barrier, which is a physical barrier to drug delivery, and the immunosuppressive effects of standard therapy. Therefore, in this review, we delve into several challenges that need to be addressed to achieve boosted immunotherapy against gliomas. First, we discuss the hurdles posed by the glioma microenvironment, particularly its primary cellular inhabitants, in particular tumor-associated microglia and macrophages (TAMs), and myeloid cells, which represent a significant barrier to effective immunotherapy. Here we emphasize the impact of inducing immunogenic cell death (ICD) on the migration of Th17 cells into the tumor microenvironment, converting it into an immunologically “hot” environment and enhancing the effectiveness of ongoing immunotherapy. Next, we address the challenge associated with the accurate identification and characterization of the primary immune profiles of gliomas, and their implications for patient prognosis, which can facilitate the selection of personalized treatment regimens and predict the patient’s response to immunotherapy. Finally, we explore a prospective approach to developing highly personalized vaccination strategies against gliomas, based on the search for patient-specific neoantigens. All the pertinent challenges discussed in this review will serve as a compass for future developments in immunotherapeutic strategies against gliomas, paving the way for upcoming preclinical and clinical research endeavors.

Purpose: Pubertal suppression is standard of care for early pubertal transgender youth to prevent the development of undesired and distressing secondary sex characteristics incongruent with gender identity. Preliminary evidence suggests pubertal suppression improves mental health functioning. Given the widespread changes in brain and cognition that occur during puberty, a critical question is whether this treatment impacts neurodevelopment. Methods: A Delphi consensus procedure engaged 24 international experts in neurodevelopment, gender development, puberty/adolescence, neuroendocrinology, and statistics/psychometrics to identify priority research methodologies to address the empirical question: is pubertal suppression treatment associated with real-world neurocognitive sequelae? Recommended study approaches reaching 80% consensus were included in the consensus parameter. Results: The Delphi procedure identified 160 initial expert recommendations, 44 of which ultimately achieved consensus. Consensus study design elements include the following: a minimum of three measurement time points, pubertal staging at baseline, statistical modeling of sex in analyses, use of analytic approaches that account for heterogeneity, and use of multiple comparison groups to minimize the limitations of any one group. Consensus study comparison groups include untreated transgender youth matched on pubertal stage, cisgender (i.e., gender congruent) youth matched on pubertal stage, and an independent sample from a large-scale youth development database. The consensus domains for assessment includes: mental health, executive function/cognitive control, and social awareness/functioning. Conclusion: An international interdisciplinary team of experts achieved consensus around primary methods and domains for assessing neurodevelopmental effects (i.e., benefits and/or difficulties) of pubertal suppression treatment in transgender youth.

Articular cartilage damage still remains a major problem in orthopedical surgery. The development of tissue engineering techniques such as autologous chondrocyte implantation is a promising way to improve clinical outcomes. On the other hand, the clinical application of autologous chondrocytes has considerable limitations. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) from various tissues have been shown to possess chondrogenic differentiation potential, although to different degrees. In the present study, we assessed the alterations in chondrogenesis-related gene transcription rates and extracellular matrix deposition levels before and after the chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs in a 3D spheroid culture. MSCs were obtained from three different tissues: umbilical cord Wharton’s jelly (WJMSC—Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stromal cells), adipose tissue (ATMSC—adipose tissue mesenchymal stromal cells), and the dental pulp of deciduous teeth (SHEDs—stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth). Monolayer MSC cultures served as baseline controls. Newly formed 3D spheroids composed of MSCs previously grown in 2D cultures were precultured for 2 days in growth medium, and then, chondrogenic differentiation was induced by maintaining them in the TGF-β1-containing medium for 21 days. Among the MSC types studied, WJMSCs showed the most similarities with primary chondrocytes in terms of the upregulation of cartilage-specific gene expression. Interestingly, such upregulation occurred to some extent in all 3D spheroids, even prior to the addition of TGF-β1. These results confirm that the potential of Wharton’s jelly is on par with adipose tissue as a valuable cell source for cartilage engineering applications as well as for the treatment of osteoarthritis. The 3D spheroid environment on its own acts as a trigger for the chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs.

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is the modulation technology used in Fourth Generation (4G) and Fifth Generation (5G) wireless communication systems, and it will likely be essential to Sixth Generation (6G) wireless communication systems. However, OFDM introduces a high Peak to Average Power Ratio (PAPR) in the time domain due to constructive interference among multiple subcarriers, increasing the complexity and cost of the amplifiers and, consequently, the cost and complexity of 6G networks. Therefore, the development of new solutions to reduce the PAPR in OFDM systems is crucial to 6G networks. The application of Machine Learning (ML) has emerged as a promising avenue for tackling PAPR issues. Along this line, this paper presents a comprehensive review of PAPR optimization techniques with a focus on ML approaches. From this survey, it becomes clear that ML solutions offer customized optimization, effective search space navigation, and real-time adaptability. In light of the demands of evolving 6G networks, integration of ML is a necessity to propel advancements and meet increasing prerequisites. This integration not only presents possibilities for PAPR reduction but also calls for continued exploration to harness its potential and ensure efficient and reliable communication within 6G networks.

The drug overdose crisis has spawned serious health consequences, including the increased incidence of substance use disorders (SUDs), conditions manifested by escalating medical and psychological impairments. While medication management is a key adjunct in SUD treatment, this crisis has crystallized the need to develop additional therapeutics to facilitate extended recovery from SUDs. The “hunger hormone” ghrelin acts by binding to the growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1α (GHS1αR) to control homeostatic and hedonic aspects of food intake and has been implicated in the mechanisms underlying SUDs. Preclinical studies indicate that GHS1αR antagonists and inverse agonists suppress reward-related signaling associated with cocaine and opioids. In the present study, we found that the GHS1αR antagonist JMV2959 was efficacious to suppress both cue-reinforced cocaine and oxycodone drug-seeking, but not cocaine or oxycodone self-administration in male Sprague-Dawley rats. These data suggest a role of the ghrelin-GHS1αR axis in mediating overlapping reward-related aspects of cocaine and oxycodone and premises the possibility that a GHS1αR antagonist may be a valuable therapeutic strategy for relapse vulnerability in SUDs.

In Mexico, tattooed migrants face discrimination and are at high-risk of incarceration, thus, we assessed whether receiving laser tattoo removal affected the likelihood of incarceration. In 2015-2016, 89 adults ages ≥ 18 years with visible tattoos were recruited at a free-clinic to receive laser tattoo removal or assigned to the wait-list; all completed baseline and 6-month questionnaires. Overall, 97.8% of participants ever migrated to the USA. In multivariate analyses restricted to migrants (n = 87), those receiving laser tattoo removal [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 0.27, 95% CI 0.07-0.89] and possessing a Mexican Voting card (AOR 0.14; 95% CI 0.03-0.58) were significantly less likely than wait-list participants to be incarcerated at 6-months. Previously incarcerated participants were significantly more likely to be incarcerated at follow-up. Tattoo removal may reduce incarceration among Mexican migrants. Future studies can assess other health and social benefits of tattoo removal for migrants/deportees returning to Mexico.

This review presents literature data on the presence of heavy metals in commercial fish species from the Amur River basin. The results of the research show that the trace element composition of fish differs in different parts of the Amur basin; it can exceed permissible concentrations for standardized elements. However, a lack of actual fresh data on heavy metal content of hydrobionts makes it difficult to assess the ecological state of the Amur River or analyze the risks to public health.

The effects of the incorporation of instructor humor in both the traditional and online classroom settings was examined. Students react to instructor humor in positive ways that demonstrate both increased engagement with the material and increased information recall following the use of instructor humor in lecture. Challenges of instructor and student relationship and connection within the classroom could be mitigated in part through the use of humor. Despite its challenges, instructors should incorporate humor in the classroom. The ability to project one's personality and connect with students in the classroom is a Key element in the effectiveness of humor as it relates to student engagement. In order to fully benefit from the incorporation of humor, instructors should play to their own strengths and talents in the delivery of humorous material in the classroom, both traditional and virtual.

This article discusses how to empower students to work, think, and act independently in the higher education setting. Inspiring students to progress through the stages of Bloom's Taxonomy emboldens them to discover intrinsic motivation and self-regulated learning. This article defines and focuses on the importance of teaching intrinsic motivation through higher order thinking skills, reliance on materials provided for success, and metacognitive assessment. Additionally, this article provides examples of ways to implement student autonomy in the traditional and online classroom settings.

Background Globally, since 1 January 2020 and as of 24 January 2023, there have been over 664 million cases of COVID-19 and over 6.7 million deaths reported to WHO. WHO developed an evidence-based alert system, assessing public health risk on a weekly basis in 237 countries, territories and areas from May 2021 to June 2022. This aimed to facilitate the early identification of situations where healthcare capacity may become overstretched.Methods The process involved a three-stage mixed methods approach. In the first stage, future deaths were predicted from the time series of reported cases and deaths to produce an initial alert level. In the second stage, this alert level was adjusted by incorporating a range of contextual indicators and accounting for the quality of information available using a Bayes classifier. In the third stage, countries with an alert level of ‘High’ or above were added to an operational watchlist and assistance was deployed as needed.Results Since June 2021, the system has supported the release of more than US$27 million from WHO emergency funding, over 450 000 rapid antigen diagnostic testing kits and over 6000 oxygen concentrators. Retrospective evaluation indicated that the first two stages were needed to maximise sensitivity, where 44% (IQR 29%–67%) of weekly watchlist alerts would not have been identified using only reported cases and deaths. The alerts were timely and valid in most cases; however, this could only be assessed on a non-representative sample of countries with hospitalisation data available.Conclusions The system provided a standardised approach to monitor the pandemic at the country level by incorporating all available data on epidemiological analytics and contextual assessments. While this system was developed for COVID-19, a similar system could be used for future outbreaks and emergencies, with necessary adjustments to parameters and indicators.